Support for shirt collar



' Feb. 3, 1966 H. DABBEY 3,233,799

SUPPORT FOR SHIRT COLLAR Filed Feb. 20, 1963 BY y 2 Z,

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,233,799 SUPPORT FOR SHIRT COLLAR Hyman D. Abbey, 69 Vine Road, Larchmont, N.Y. Filed Feb. 20, 1963, Ser. No. 259,937 4 Claims. (Cl. 22383) This invention relates to collar supports, and more particularly to expendable cardboard supports for use b laundries.

The primary object of the present invention is to generally improve such collar supports. A manufacturer of shirts may and commonly does employ inserts or supports of different size and height to fit shirts of different size or collar height. However, this not feasible in laundries, which instead want a universally usable support which may be quickly and readily applied to shirts of different size and collar height.

One object of the present invention is to provide such a support. A further object is to provide a support which is retained in position if the shirt is inverted. Another object is to provide a support which leans outward at the back of the collar, thereby improving the support afforded.

To accomplish the foregoing general objects, and other more specific objects which will hereinafter appear, my invention resides in the shirt collar support and the elements thereof, as are hereinafter more particularly described in the following specification. The specification is accompanied by a drawing in which:

FIG. 1 shows a shirt collar support embodying features of the invention, with the support in flat condition;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the support ap plied to a shirt;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the support in annular working position, as though in a shirt;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the support shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section taken approximately on the line 5-5 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a view like FIG. 1 but showing a different form of the invention; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective .view showing the support of FIG. 6 curved to annular condition.

Referring to the drawing and more particularly to FIG. 1, the support'c'omprises a strip 12 of paperboard or cardboard or equivalent material, dimensioned to be curved annularly within and to substantially fill the inside periphery of a shirt collar, with the ends 14 of the support located at the front of the collar. The length is preferably selected to fit a shirt collar of medium size with the ends 14 then meeting at the front. In a larger collar the ends separate slightly, and in a smaller collar they overlap slightly. The lower portion of the support at the ends is scored on the lines 16 to facilitate folding lower edges outward to form flanges 18 (FIG. 3) which extends inside the shirt, that is, between the front and back of the shirt, beneath the collar.

In the particular form shown in FIGS. 1 through 5 there are a plurality of spaced collateral score lines, (additional score lines being shown at 19) so that flanges of different width may be formed. The effective height of the support at the ends depends on the folding of the flanges, and it will be evident that in the case here illustrated the support may be given three different heights. If the collar is high, the fold lines 16 and 19 are not used. If the collar is of medium height, the fold lines 16 are used. If the collar is a low or so-called lay down collar, the fold lines 19 are used.

The collar support is additionally provided at its sides with retainer fingers 2%. For this purpose the lower portion of the collar support is severed at 22, thereby 3,233,799 Patented Feb. 8, 1966 forming fingers 20 which are so located along the support that they project forwardly and outwardly from the sides of the support, as is clearly shown in FIG. 3. The fingers then are located inside the shirt beneath the collar, as shown in FIG. 2. The fingers assume their desired position automatically when the support is curved inside the shirt collar, because they remain tangential to the main body of the support. Laundries commonly invert alternate shirts, and reverse them end for end, so that the shirts nest more compactly for wrapping and delivery.- The fingers 20 serve to prevent falling out of the collar support from the shirt collar when the shirt is inverted. The flanges 18 also prevent the support from the falling out of position, and thus supplement the retainer action of the fingers 20, but the fingers alone, serve the desired purpose when dealing with a high shirt collar such that the parts 18 are not folded outward.

In the specific example here illustrated the shirt collar support is fourteen to fifteen inches long or slightly longer; the fingers 20 are about 1 /2 or 1% inches long; and the spacing of the fingers is about 6 or 6 /2 inches;

that is, each finger begins about 3 or 3% inches from the back center of the support.

The fold lines 16, 18 preferably run back to and meet the cut 22 for the finger 20. This removes the finger material at the sides and permits the forward end to drop as low as permitted by the folding at the score lines.

The strip 12 might be straight, but I prefer to make the same arcuate, as shown. The fingers 2!) are on the con cave edge, that is, the curvature of the blank is such that the lower edge is concave and the upper edge is convex.

This results in the annulus being somewhat frusto-conical (inverted), as will be seen from the rearward slope of the support at 24 in FIG. 4. I find that this improves the support given the shirt, and help to retain its freshly ironed shape during delivery and storage. In the particular case here shown the radius of curvature of the blank is eighteen inches, but it may be more.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4-, the forward ends of the support are cut away at the top, as shown at 30. It was previously mentioned that the overall length of the support is selected to fit a collar of medium size, say size 14 or 15. In such case when the collar is of larger size the ends separate somewhat, but not enough to interfere with adequate'support of the shirt collar. When the collar is of smaller size the ends overlap somewhat, and this is found readily possible, whether the support is in the unflanged condition for a high collar, or is outwardly folded at the bottom for a low collar.

In the particular support shown in FIG. 1 the score lines 16 and 19 represent steps of about /2 inch at the end 14, and the score lines are about inch apart at their inner ends. The overall height of the support is about 1 /2 inches, and in the specific case shown is 1%; inches. The flange 16 is from 2% to 2 /8 inches long at the bottom edge.

A simpler form of collar support is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 of the drawing. This resembles that shown in FIG. 1 to the extent that the lower portion of the support at the ends is scored at 32 to facilitate folding the lower edges outward to form flanges 34 which extend inside the shirt beneath the collar. In this case the forward portions 36 of the score lines are preferably made a complete severance, thereby freein the forward ends but not the rear ends of the flanges 34. This permits the flanges to project outward between the front and back of the shirt body beneath the collar, as shown in FIG. 7. Also when the ends 38 are freed of the flanges 34 the ends 38 readily overlap to accommodate a shirt collar of smaller size.

Another difference in the support shown in FIG. 6 is that extra material is used for the flanges 34, projecting downward from the support when flat. Here again the blank preferably is arcuate, with the lower edge. concave and the upper edge convex. The forward ends of the support are cut away at the top, as indicated at 40, thereby adapting the support for use with low collars and facilitating overlap when the shirt collar is of smaller size.

Although I have referred to the use of cardboard, it will be understood that other equivalent sheet materials may be employed, if not excessive in cost. For example, a plastics sheet having a thickness of approximately ten gauge and made of a serni-rigid vinyl or cellulose acetate or other such plastic, might be used. A transparent plastic would have an advantage on new shirts in not concealing the size and sleeve length of the shirt as printed on the inside of the collar at the back.

It is believed that the construction and method of use of my improved shirt collar support, as well as the advantages thereof, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description. The preferred collar support is that shown in FIG. 1, but either form may be quickly and readily applied to a laundered shirt. The shirt collar is supported entirely around its periphery, because the support is a complete annular support. Despite that fact, a single size may be used universally on shirts having different sizes and/or height of collar. It will also be apparent that while I have described the invention in several preferred forms, changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, as sought to be defined in the following claims. In the claims the reference to cardboard is not intended to exclude other similarly usable sheet materials, as mentioned above.

I claim:

1. A support for a shirt with a collar comprising a discrete strip of cardboard dimensioned so as to be curved annularly within and to substantially fill the entire inside periphery of a shirt collar when positioned therein with the ends of the support at the front of the collar, the lower portion of said support at the ends being scored collateral to the bottom edge to facilitate folding the lower edges outward to form flanges which are adapted to extend inside the shirt beneath the collar, and the lower portion of the support at the sides being additionally severed to form tangential retainer fingers projecting forwardly and outwardly from the sides of the support and adapted to extend inside the shirt beneath the collar, said flanges being flatwise and said fingers being edgewise relative to the body of the shirt.

2. A support for a shirt with a collar comprising a discrete strip of cardboard dimensioned so as to be curved annularly within and to substantially fill the entire inside periphery of a shirt collar when positioned therein with the ends of the support at the front of the collar, the lower portion of said support at the ends being scored on lines collateral to the bottom edge in order to facilitate folding the lower edges outward to form flanges which are adapted to extend inside the shirt beneath the collar, there being a plurality of spaced collateral score lines to form flanges of ditferent Widths so that the support may be used with collars of different heights, the lower portion of the support at the sides being additionally severed to form tangential retainer fingers projecting forwardly and outwardly from the sides of the support and adapted to extend inside the shirt beneath the collar, said flanges being flatwise and said fingers being edgewise relative to the body of the shirt.

3. A support for a shirt with a collar comprising a discrete strip of cardboard dimensioned so as to be curved annularly within and to substantially fill the entire inside periphery of a shirt collar of medium size when positioned therein with the ends of the support at the front of the collar, the lower portion of said support at the ends being scored collateral to the bottom edge to facilitate folding the lower edges outward to form flanges which are adapted to extend inside the shirt beneath the collar, the lower portion being additionally severed at the sides to form tangential retainer fingers projecting forwardly and outwardly from the sides of the support and adapted to extend inside the shirt beneath the collar, said flanges being flatwise and said fingers being edgewise relative to the body of the shirt, said strip being arcuate with the flanges and fingers on the concave edge, whereby the support is somewhat inverted frusto-conical, and the forward ends of said support being cut away at the top.

4. A support for a shirt with a collar comprising a discrete strip of cardboard dimensioned so as to be curved annularly within and to substantially fill the entire inside periphery of a shirt collar of medium size when positioned therein with the ends of the support at the front of the collar, the lower portion of said support at the ends being scored on lines collateral to the bottom edge in order to facilitate folding the lower edges outward to form flanges which are adaptedto extend inside the shirt beneath the collar, there being a plurality of spaced collateral score lines to form flanges of different widths so that the support may be used with collars of different heights, the lower portion being additionally severed at the sides to form tangential retainer fingers projecting forwardly and outwardly from the sides of the support and adapted to extend inside the shirt beneath the collar, said flanges being flatwise and said fingers being edgewise relative to the body of the shirt, said strip being arcuate with the flanges and fingers on the concave edge, whereby the support is somewhat inverted frusto-conical, the for- Ward ends of said support being cut away at the top.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,911,638 5/1933 Milburn 22383 2,045,462 6/ 1936 Gronauer 223-83 2,063,547 12/1936 Gibbons 22383 X 2,408,569 10/1946 Mead 223-83 2,479,993 8/ 1949 Anderson 223-83 2,605,941 8/1952 Strasser 22383 2,720,348 10/1955 Strasser 22383 2,822,114 2/1958 Noojin et a1. 22383 3,097,361 7/1963 Bourgraf 22371 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,026,766 2/ 1953 France.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

RUSSELL C. MADER, DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY,

Examiners. 

1. A SUPPORT FOR A SHIRT WITH A COLLAR COMPRISING A DISCRETE STRIP OF CARDBOARD DIMENSIONED SO AS TO BE CURVED ANNULARLY WITHIN AND TO SUBSTANTIALLY FILL THE ENTIRE INSIDE PERIPHERY OF A SHIRT COLLAR WHEN POSITIONED THEREIN WITH THE ENDS OF THE SUPPORT AT THE FRONT OF THE COLLAR, THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID SUPPORT AT THE ENDS BEING SCORED COLLATERAL TO THE BOTTOM EDGE TO FACILITATE FOLDING THE LOWER EDGES OUTWARD TO FORM FLANGES WHICH ARE ADAPTED TO EXTEND INSIDE THE SHIRT BENEATH THE COLLAR, AND THE LOWER PORTION OF THE SUPPORT AT THE SIDES BEING ADDITIONALLY SEVERED TO FORM TANGENTIAL RETAINER FINGERS PROJECTING FORWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY FROM THE SIDES OF THE SUPPORT AND ADAPTED TO EXTEND INSIDE THE SHIRT BENEATH THE COLLAR, SAID FLANGES BEING FLATWISE AND SAID FINGERS BEING EDGEWISE RELATIVE TO THE BODY OF THE SHIRT. 